What is this? What is my father planning to do? Marry me off to Orlando? The guy is old enough to be my father.
Nausea rises at the back of my throat. I’m not even a virgin anymore. Would my father kill me for it? Would Orlando?
“You know, on second thought,” Orlando says, eyeing me with distrust, “she’s a bit older than I expected.”
Older? What the hell? I’m relieved he doesn’t want me, but I shudder at the thought that he’s looking for an even younger girl. No wonder my mother dolled me up in pink.
They knew. My father and mother knew exactly what Orlando wanted, and they were ready to serve me to him on a silver platter. I know they don’t love me, but I didn’t think they would do something like that to me. Or at least I was fooling myself so I wouldn’t completely lose my mind.
“Your dress is ruined,” my mother says. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
I look down and realize some of the wine ended up on my dress too. My mother ushers me out of the room.
“Are you sure she’s a virgin?” one of the men asks.
“Of course!” my father snaps.
My mother drags me away, so I don’t hear what they say about me next. I’m sick to my stomach, and the world is spinning around me.
“Go to your room,” my mother says through her teeth. “You ruined everything!”
I break into a run and burst into my room. Tears fill my eyes as I throw myself on my bed. I knew that my parents would probably try to marry me off to someone for an alliance, but I thought it would be different. That my future husband would be my age and that we’d get to know each other first, and then if we liked each other, we’d get married.
Or that I’d be married only on paper for whatever benefits my father wanted, and I wouldn’t even have to see my husband. Or that I’d have a choice and could refuse if I didn’t want to marry the guy.
God, I was such a fool. Of course my father would just sell me off to the highest bidder or whatever. Of course I’d be expected to be a proper mafia wife. My feelings wouldn’t matter at all. My opinion is worthless.
I cry until my eyes are dry. What can I do? I should try to escape, but I don’t know how to do it without putting anyone else at risk. My father would find me. He has all the resources and power, and I have nothing.
The door slams open, and my pulse speeds up. My father storms into the room, his face red with rage, his eyes filled with fury, his nostrils flaring.
“You little bitch!” he roars.
I cry out as his hand buries in my hair and he yanks me to him.
“You can’t do anything right, can you? You’re fucking useless!” He slaps me so hard that I fall on the floor, tears stinging my eyes.
“Orlando doesn’t want you because your fucking clumsiness made him think you’re impure! If I didn’t know any better, I’d put a bullet in you!” He shakes his finger at me. “You’re not leaving this room until I say so!”
I curl up into a ball on the floor. Loud sobs shake my body. He strides to the door, slams it closed, and I hear the key turning in the lock.
My tears flow even harder, my cheek throbbing.
He’d kill me. He’d really kill me if he knew the truth. I saw it in his eyes.
If only Luca were here. If only he would pull me into his embrace and make everything better. I should’ve stayed with him. Should’ve let him hold me forever.
But then his life would be in danger too. My father is a monster, and I can’t keep putting people I care about at risk.
Luca, Julia...
I can’t keep hoping for the best or that I’ll be lucky enough. If my father finds out I lost my virginity to Luca, he’ll want to kill us both. And Julia too for helping me get out of the house. Maybe even her father for leaving his schedule where she could find it.
I can never see Luca again or leave the house.
But he will be waiting for me at the club. He’ll wonder what happened to me. If I send Julia with a message for him, he’ll be suspicious. He might want to look for me too, and then everything will be ruined.
I doubt anyone who isn’t connected to the mafia can understand just how dangerous it is to get in my father’s path. Luca wouldn’t get it. He’d think that he could save me, and he’d get himself killed.